48th Forum pacific leaders meeting to open

The 48th Pacific Island Forum
leaders meeting will officially open this evening at the Robert
Louis Stevenson Museum in Vailima, Samoa.

The annual meeting of Pacific leaders draws together the strength,
ambitions and vision of leaders for a better Pacific.

This years' theme Blue Pacific, our sea of islands, our security
through sustainable development, management and conservation was
chosen by Samoa reflecting the United Nations ocean conference and
to support Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 - 'to conserve and
sustainably use the ocean, seas and marine resources for
sustainable development.'

PM Tuilaepa said the theme "recaptures the collective potential of
our shared stewardship of the Pacific Ocean based on an explicit
recognition of our shared ocean identity, ocean geography, and
ocean resources."

The forum week commenced this week Monday 4 September with the
meeting of leaders of the Smaller Island States (SIS).

Other events include today's morning session of the Pacific
members of the African Caribbean Pacific (ACP) group.

Civil society organisations will have the opportunity to engage
with all the leaders for the first time at a meeting on Wednesday 6
September, on the panel theme 'Partnerships for the Blue Pacific -
an exploration of the role and contribution of civil
society'.

Later that day leaders will have a dialogue with the private
sector on the theme 'The Blue Pacific, a sea of commerce,
challenges and opportunities.'

On Thursday 7 September will be the Forum leaders' dialogue
session that will include various panel groupings and topics with
associate members, Forum observers and Forum dialogue
partners.

Leaders will meet with CROP agencies on Friday 8 September before
the leaders' retreat and closing ceremony later Friday evening.